diff --git a/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c b/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c
--- a/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c
@@ -2457,7 +2457,7 @@
 }
 
 static void
-parseconfigfile(FILE *cf, bool allow_includes)
+parseconfigfile(FILE *cf)
 {
 	FILE *cf2;
 	struct dirent **ent;
@@ -2487,8 +2487,7 @@
 			continue;
 		if (*p == '\0')
 			continue;
-		if (allow_includes &&
-		    strncmp(p, include_str, include_len) == 0 &&
+		if (strncmp(p, include_str, include_len) == 0 &&
 		    isspace(p[include_len])) {
 			p += include_len;
 			while (isspace(*p))
@@ -2517,7 +2516,7 @@
 				if (cf2 == NULL)
 					continue;
 				dprintf("reading %s\n", file);
-				parseconfigfile(cf2, true);
+				parseconfigfile(cf2);
 				(void)fclose(cf2);
 			}
 			free(ent);
@@ -2598,7 +2597,7 @@
 
 	/* open the configuration file */
 	if ((cf = fopen(path, "r")) != NULL) {
-		parseconfigfile(cf, true);
+		parseconfigfile(cf);
 		(void)fclose(cf);
 	} else {
 		dprintf("cannot open %s\n", ConfFile);